Cyber Extortionists Warn of Ransomware that Erases Internauts’ Hard Drives

Cyber-criminals are unleashing software based on which they are making victims provide payments despite their intention by creating panic over the malicious software that'll seemingly erase hard drives, according to a warning by Symantec the security company.

The software, in other words, a ransomware, has been into existence since long which if installed on a PC destabilizes the system else locks all of its files by encrypting them followed with exhibiting a 'ransom' message, which asks for payment for getting back the user's control over his machine. This method, which Symantec names 'an extortion scheme,' is known since 6-yrs or so.

Security Researcher Jeet Morparia from Symantec describing the ransomware tactic stated that it was a move for extracting money out of PC owners via the exploitation of human feebleness whilst panic-stricken as well as pressurized. Computerworld.com published this dated December 26, 2012.

Symantec, which detected the just found ransomware sample as "Trojan.Ransomlock.G," however, known as 'Reveton' according to other anti-virus (AV) providers, asserts that in case of an attempt at getting around the lockdown there'll surely be disaster. For, the message warns that if the user himself tries to unlock his system, the OS on it will become fully formatted, with each of the data-files, documents, photos and videos getting erased.

Also Symantec, after examining the ransomware variant, stated that it didn't discover a code that would erase anything. During the examination, Symantec as well physically cleansed the computer off the ransomware followed with restoring the former's operation devoid of file deletion or operating system formatting.

Moreover, the ransomware further reveals that 3 significant alterations featured it on the locked system in comparison to one which attackers utilized one month back which's during November 2012. These included, making one false alert of operating system (OS) formatting along with file deletions; raising the ransom sum to 300 dollars from 200 dollars; and making the payment time no more than 48-hrs.

Separately Morparia stated that anyone impacted with Trojan.Ransomlock.G, must never make the ransom payment whatsoever. Rather he should follow the elimination instructions to remove it, thus published symantec.com dated December 26, 2012.

Related article: Cyber Attackers Move To Abandoned Sites

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